A kitchen faucet gets a lot of use. It gets used many times a day and many ways, such as to wash your dishes, get a drink, wash your food, and fill pots with water for cooking, just to name a few. Over time, the rubber washers and O-rings that create a watertight seal can deteriorate and cause the kitchen faucet to leak and puddle around the base. Disassembling the faucet and replacing the O-rings can stop your leaks and add years to your faucet.

Rotary Ball Faucet

1

Shut off the water supply beneath the sink. Turn the supply valve handles clockwise until tight.

2

Loosen the set screw from the bottom of the faucet handle to release it using a hex key. Lift the handle off the faucet to expose the cap.

3

Wrap the jaws of a pair of tongue-and-groove pliers in an old rag or masking tape to protect the faucet finish. Use the pliers to turn the cap counterclockwise to remove it. Removing the cap exposes the rotary ball and cam housing.

4

Remove the cam housing and washer out of the faucet body and off the rotary ball. Lift the rotary ball from the faucet.

5

Look inside the faucet for the seats and springs. These look like small black gaskets. Grab the seats with a pair of tweezers and carefully pull the seats and springs from the faucet. Make sure you look at exactly how the seats and springs install in the faucet body, so you can correctly install the replacements, otherwise the faucet may not work.

6

Lift the faucet spout off the faucet to expose the body of the faucet and the O-ring. Use your fingers to peel the old O-ring from the faucet body.

7

Place a small amount of silicone based grease in the palm of your hand. Place the new O-ring in the grease and use your fingers to make sure the grease coats the O-ring. Place the new O-ring around the faucet body, making sure it sets in the groove on the faucet body where the original was installed. Slide the faucet spout back over the faucet body.

8

Install new seats and springs inside the faucet. Replace the rotary ball. Place a new cam washer on top of the ball and replace the cam housing.

9

Reinstall the cap. Tighten the cap with the wrapped pliers. Set the handle on the cap and secure it with the set screw.

Cartridge Faucet

1

Shut off the water supply beneath the sink. Turn the supply valve handles clockwise until tight.

2

Pry the beauty cap off the top of the faucet, exposing the screw beneath it. Remove the screw and pull the handle off the faucet assembly.

3

Lift up on the faucet spout while twisting it back and forth to remove it from the faucet body. Use tongue-and-groove pliers to rotate the retaining ring counterclockwise to remove it and expose the retaining clip. Use needle-nose pliers to grab the clip and pull it from the faucet body. Use your fingers to pull the O-ring from the bottom of the faucet body.

4

Grab the top of the cartridge stem inside the faucet body with the tongue and groove pliers. Pull the stem from the faucet body. Pull the O-ring from the cartridge with your fingers. Clean the faucet parts under running water while you have the faucet disassembled.

5

Squirt a small amount of silicone based grease in your hand. Place the replacement O-rings into the silicone grease and use your fingers to ensure the grease thoroughly coats the O-rings. Replace the O-ring around the cartridge. Install the cartridge in the faucet body. Replace the O-ring around the bottom of the faucet body.

6

Replace the retaining clip and replace the retaining nut. Slip the faucet spout over the faucet body.

7

Replace the faucet handle. Secure the handle with the screw you removed previously. Snap the cap back onto the top of the faucet. Turn on the hot and cold water supplies.

8

Check the faucet to ensure the hot and cold water is correct. If the flow of water is reversed, you must disassemble the faucet, pull the cartridge from the faucet, rotate it 180 degrees and reassemble the faucet.

Things You Will Need

Hex key set

Tongue-and-groove pliers

Rag

Masking tape

Tweezers

Replacement O-rings

Silicone based grease

Replacement seats and springs

Faucet cam washer

Needle-nose pliers

Tip

Not cutting your O-rings allows you to take them to a hardware store or plumbing supply to find the correct size replacement. If you cut the O-ring, it may be difficult to match the size.

About the Author

Cecilia Harsch has been writing professionally since 2009. She writes mainly home improvement, health and travel articles for various online publications. She has several years of experience in the home-improvement industry, focusing on gardening, and a background in group exercise instruction. Harsch received her Certified Nurses Assistant license in 2004. She attended Tarrant County College and studied English composition.